See, I told ya so!
I'd really hate to be the studio chief that predicted either The Longest Yard or Madagascar would end up on top...
Official Star Wars Thread
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Well, at the moment, it looks like SW at one, and Mad at two, so hurrah!
I hope that "Open Season" teaser makes its way online soon - we haven't gotten that at all in the UK yet, and it's one film that I'm quite looking forward to seeing, based on the very Tex Avery-inspired poster.
Is it me, or is there an attempt with CG at the moment to get back to a very hand-drawn look??
I hope that "Open Season" teaser makes its way online soon - we haven't gotten that at all in the UK yet, and it's one film that I'm quite looking forward to seeing, based on the very Tex Avery-inspired poster.
Is it me, or is there an attempt with CG at the moment to get back to a very hand-drawn look??
It's not just you.
It is, however, a sad commentary on feature animation at the moment. More people are beginning to realize that members of the public movie-going audience miss organic, hand-drawn animation but at the same time management is too cheap to fund a hand-drawn feature film that isn't outsourced or produced by slave labor camps.
As good as the designs for the latest Pixar films and Madagascar have been, when those characters move on-screen I still think 3-D stop-motion or puppetry. It's just not the same thing as hand-drawn animation. CGI is either too smooth or too jerky; it can't have the same feel and look as a hand-drawn film. They still seem like very good videogames to me.
As long as Disney had a permanent traditional feature film department, the knowledge base and skills for hand-drawn films were intact. Now that the studio is gone and people have scattered to the winds, I wonder how much of that talent can be re-assembled and how long it will take to produce a quality hand-drawn feature?
That's my concern because once you break up teams of artists, it takes a while for a group to come together and gel as a unit. There has to be continuity to have consistent quality. You can't throw it together like a craps table and expect to produce Snow White the first time on-plate -- film production doesn't work like an automobile assembly line.
Unfortunately, the people who run these studios don't realize that and don't generally have the patience to develop the talent necessary to make good films.
At the same time, no independent animator I'm aware of is independently wealthy enough to run their own studio at a loss for several years and produce a Disney-quality feature, either.
It is, however, a sad commentary on feature animation at the moment. More people are beginning to realize that members of the public movie-going audience miss organic, hand-drawn animation but at the same time management is too cheap to fund a hand-drawn feature film that isn't outsourced or produced by slave labor camps.
As good as the designs for the latest Pixar films and Madagascar have been, when those characters move on-screen I still think 3-D stop-motion or puppetry. It's just not the same thing as hand-drawn animation. CGI is either too smooth or too jerky; it can't have the same feel and look as a hand-drawn film. They still seem like very good videogames to me.
As long as Disney had a permanent traditional feature film department, the knowledge base and skills for hand-drawn films were intact. Now that the studio is gone and people have scattered to the winds, I wonder how much of that talent can be re-assembled and how long it will take to produce a quality hand-drawn feature?
That's my concern because once you break up teams of artists, it takes a while for a group to come together and gel as a unit. There has to be continuity to have consistent quality. You can't throw it together like a craps table and expect to produce Snow White the first time on-plate -- film production doesn't work like an automobile assembly line.
Unfortunately, the people who run these studios don't realize that and don't generally have the patience to develop the talent necessary to make good films.
At the same time, no independent animator I'm aware of is independently wealthy enough to run their own studio at a loss for several years and produce a Disney-quality feature, either.
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Not to be nitpicky, George, but you weren't completely right in your prediction; you had Madagascar coming in 3rd. It actually came in a pretty strong second. I had no doubt that Revenge of the Sith would come in #1 again, and I'm pretty damn HAPPY about that, too!
I, too, have noticed that CGI films are leaning more toward a "drawn" look. I noticed it first with The Incredibles, which had a stylized, exaggerated look to it that fit the genre and gave it personality. Shark Tale tried this as well, albeit not very successfully, in my opinion. Madagascar looks illustrative in its rendering, with broad, bold strokes and vivid color, like a coloring book. I'm glad to see that approach, as it could be very easy with CGI to fall into the trap of trying to make everything look photo-realistic. What I hope ends up happening is that someone will go, "Hmmm.. I think this story would work best with traditional animation". See, I strongly believe there is room for both these techniques, as it opens up even greater stoytelling possibilities. Traditional hand-drawn, CGI, stop-motion, claymation, it doesn't matter; I like all animation! It just has to used the right way.
I, too, have noticed that CGI films are leaning more toward a "drawn" look. I noticed it first with The Incredibles, which had a stylized, exaggerated look to it that fit the genre and gave it personality. Shark Tale tried this as well, albeit not very successfully, in my opinion. Madagascar looks illustrative in its rendering, with broad, bold strokes and vivid color, like a coloring book. I'm glad to see that approach, as it could be very easy with CGI to fall into the trap of trying to make everything look photo-realistic. What I hope ends up happening is that someone will go, "Hmmm.. I think this story would work best with traditional animation". See, I strongly believe there is room for both these techniques, as it opens up even greater stoytelling possibilities. Traditional hand-drawn, CGI, stop-motion, claymation, it doesn't matter; I like all animation! It just has to used the right way.
Do. Or do not. There is no try.
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What I like about Madagsacar and Open Season is that they have that 1940s/1950s style sensibility.
Nothing is symmetrical, which always seems the thing that just makes CGI a little too creepy, and they are seemingly taking great joy in skewing perspectives and angles.
Sadly, I think the "right story will see traditional come back" speak is only that. It seems everything has to be CGI now, and I don't think there's any story out there, or that could be come up with, that will inspire anyone to REALLY say "Okay, this HAS to be done traditionally".
Enchanted is back on track, now as a live-action/CGI hybrid rather than the traditionally animated fairy-tale look that it will spoof, and even the classic Disney fairy-tale itself has been aped with Shrek and digitalised with Rapunzel.
Anything that is done in CGI could be done with hand-drawn techniques, but it doesn't work the other way around. Unfortunately, we're "stuck" with the CGI look for now. As with you, I like most of the films so far too, but isn't it a bit more refreshing when they hark back to the cartoony style?
Nothing is symmetrical, which always seems the thing that just makes CGI a little too creepy, and they are seemingly taking great joy in skewing perspectives and angles.
Sadly, I think the "right story will see traditional come back" speak is only that. It seems everything has to be CGI now, and I don't think there's any story out there, or that could be come up with, that will inspire anyone to REALLY say "Okay, this HAS to be done traditionally".
Enchanted is back on track, now as a live-action/CGI hybrid rather than the traditionally animated fairy-tale look that it will spoof, and even the classic Disney fairy-tale itself has been aped with Shrek and digitalised with Rapunzel.
Anything that is done in CGI could be done with hand-drawn techniques, but it doesn't work the other way around. Unfortunately, we're "stuck" with the CGI look for now. As with you, I like most of the films so far too, but isn't it a bit more refreshing when they hark back to the cartoony style?
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There's a Rapunzel discussion going on at Animation Nation. I sometimes read that forum for fun. Lots of animators on there with some scoops from inside the business wich is cool. I don't post cause Im not in the business lol.Ben wrote:Oh, now that would be something, but as far as I know, it's straight CGI.
Anyway, check it out: http://www.animationnation.com/ubb/ulti ... 1;t=010283
latest word is that Glen Keane is trying very hard to make the character design look like Ariel, Belle and Jasmine, only in 3d. I'm kind of intruiged now. I have this feeling the artists, now that they can't do their thing in 2d, are doing everything they can to make it look as 'traditionally Disney' as possible. At least that's the idea the people over there are giving.
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Weird thing about Rupunzel - I was reading a novel called "The Man in the Ceiling" when it mentions something about Uncle Lester (one of the characters) compsing score for...yup, Rupunzel! Here ya go...
"And he [Uncle Lester] had more good news, although it was hard to tell by his manner. On his return from England, he was going to Hollywood to compose a score for a new animated full-length Walt Disney cartoon, "Rupunzel".
The book also included a discussion about why superheroes shouldn't wear capes, which was also interesting...
Oh, and it was written in 1993, so it's nothing new.
"And he [Uncle Lester] had more good news, although it was hard to tell by his manner. On his return from England, he was going to Hollywood to compose a score for a new animated full-length Walt Disney cartoon, "Rupunzel".
The book also included a discussion about why superheroes shouldn't wear capes, which was also interesting...
Oh, and it was written in 1993, so it's nothing new.
Here's the latest update on Star Wars DVDs coming out in the fall:
The Star Wars films are being re-released in a six-disc set or individually...
http://theforce.net/episode3/story/6_St ... _93105.asp
This begs the question -- is the 6-disc set just a repack of the PREVIOUSLY released DVDs (plus Episode III), OR is it in fact the rumored "Ultimate Edition" Star Wars Saga set with a NEW bonus DVD?
I doubt the six-film pack is the Ultimate Edition Lucas has been talking about -- that's probably out next year if ever.
Most likely, though, the six-film pack will just be the movies WITHOUT the bonus disc on the original trilogy that had the documentary.
Always double-check, though, before you buy!
The Star Wars films are being re-released in a six-disc set or individually...
http://theforce.net/episode3/story/6_St ... _93105.asp
This begs the question -- is the 6-disc set just a repack of the PREVIOUSLY released DVDs (plus Episode III), OR is it in fact the rumored "Ultimate Edition" Star Wars Saga set with a NEW bonus DVD?
I doubt the six-film pack is the Ultimate Edition Lucas has been talking about -- that's probably out next year if ever.
Most likely, though, the six-film pack will just be the movies WITHOUT the bonus disc on the original trilogy that had the documentary.
Always double-check, though, before you buy!